My waters are like mirrors
—I, Nature

3.–4. July2021

The first Mahler Forum for Music and Society explores the ambivalent, often contradictory relationship between culture and nature, humankind and environment.

In light of the 21st century's global climate crisis, these are key issues of our time. The flawed underlying assumption here is that humans and culture are to be considered as separate from nature. The Mahler Forum sets out to investigate our deeply conflicted relationship with the world in and around us from the perspective of music and art.

Gustav Mahler’s artistic approach and oeuvre allow us to add ecology to the intricate fabric of interrelations in his music and to newly align and define our position in what we call “nature”. It has become clear that bare facts and numbers are unable to convince us that we, in fact, are nature.

The sound, visualization, and analysis we find in music, art, and literature could be a key in defining a new personal attitude. A recalibration of our relationships–including empathy, enthusiasm, and feelings–may become possible and can help us to once again hear the song in all things.

Live Stream
On Saturday, 3 July from 5 PM—8 PM you could experience the 1st Mahler Forum → live.